Hundreds of militants from Afghanistan launched a pre-dawn cross-border raid on paramilitary posts and civilian settlements in district Chitral, killing at least 40 people, private TV channels quoted officials as saying on Saturday.
A channel reported that soldiers of the Chitral Scouts and police were among the dead in the string of attacks that started with an assault on paramilitary check posts in the border village of Arandu in the northwest just across from Nuristan province of Afghanistan.
The militants then attacked more areas near the border, including civilian populations, triggering clashes with the security forces. “Militants attacked some posts with heavy weapons while firing mortar bombs on others causing the casualties,” the channel quoted an official as saying.
The Pakistan Army is battling al Qaeda-linked militants in the northwest and has inflicted heavy losses on them. Pakistan’s support is crucial to US efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, but cross-border raids have raised tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months.
Taliban fighters who fled to Afghanistan in the face of army offensives have joined allies there to regroup and threaten border regions, analysts say. A senior Chitral Scouts official Haroon Rasheed said that 26 soldiers and 10 border police were killed. About a dozen militants were also killed in retaliatory attacks, he said.
There was no independent verification of the militant death toll. The militants have largely relied on a campaign of suicide and bomb attacks that have killed thousands of people across the country. Pakistan blames Afghanistan for giving refuge to militants on its side of the border.
Very sad and disturbing news. I once stayed in Chitral district, many years ago, and have fond memories of the hospitality of Chitrali people and the beautiful valleys and mountains of this unique corner of Pakistan. I hope the security of Chitral can be safeguarded and salute the brave Chitral Scouts.
where are the US forces on the border??
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